Over 2.5 million saw Pope Benedict in 2011

More than 2.5 million people saw Pope Benedict XVI at papal audiences and liturgical ceremonies during the past year, the Vatican has disclosed.

The statistics furnished by the Prefecture of the Pontifical Household count only those people who attended audiences and ceremonies at the Vatican or the papal summer residence in Castel Gandolfo. These figures do not include the millions who participated in public ceremonies during the Pope's trips.

The statistics show that about 400,000 people attended the Pope's weekly public audiences on Wednesdays; 1.2 million attended the Sunday Angelus audiences; 846,000 participated in liturgical ceremonies at the Vatican; and 101,000 came to private audiences.

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